Camp 32^d Mass Vols

Near Falmouth Va Feb 28^th 1863

Col Francis J. Parker

 

Dear Sir

            Your favour of the 24^th enclosing a copy of the famous inspection report made by Col Johnson 25^th New York Vols is received You ask me whether in my opinion you are responsible for the results of that inspection In reply I will give a few facts respecting the Regiment and that inspection which will I think exonerate you from neglect or incompetency in the performance of your duty as Commander of the Regiment

 

In the first place many of the inspector's remarks are in my opinion incorrect and I have marked on the report which I return herewith where in my judgment they are incorrect and some which I know are entirely false and I have marked them as the Regiment appeared the day it was insp inspected not as it was when you relinquished the command when it presented quite a different aspect

 

The day the Reg't was inspected 200 men were absent from camp and had been absent 5 days doing fatigue / duty leaving only about 100 who were not on the "sick list" Thirty of the one hundred had been for three days doing guard-duty on the railroad and had only returned a few minutes before they were inspected of course in a bad condition, it having rained the two days previous The appearance of these men undoubtedly caused many of the remarks in the report in reference to the condition of muskets clothing &c.

 

            I was absent from camp inspecting the 16^th Mich Vols, the three senior captains were also absent and the command devolved up Capt Norton of Co I.; and many of the remarks in the report are based upon answers made by him to the inspecting officer; for instance Capt. N. could not tell how the "Grand Rounds" should be executed, consequently the Reg't is pronounced "entirely ignorant of Guard Duty"; he was asked to explain three Battalion movements which he could not do correctly consequently the Reg't is pronounced "entirely ignorant of Battalion Drill" There is not a 2^d Lieut in the Reg't who could not have answered the above questions correctly if they had been asked and undoubtedly saved in part the reputation of the Reg't The statement that the Articles of War have never been read is not true, all of the company commanders having performed that duty With regard / to "Recitations in Tactics & Army Regulations you of course know that the Inspector's remarks are not true as we had them while under your command and after Col Prescott left on a "leave of absence" I recommended the practice. The Inspector was so informed yet reports that we "have never had them".

 

            That the system of "Military Instruction" is loose is true to a certain extent and from this cause the Regiment is not in as good condition as it was the day you left it We have had many drills it is true but the School of the Soldier, the Squad Drills have been neglected for Battalion Drills thus neglecting the elementary principles so necessary to make a good soldier a good company or a good Reg't We can execute Battalion movements yet the men are not so proficient in the "School of the Soldier" consequently are not so efficient as they were when you left us We have felt the want of system in the routine of camp duties and in drills The officers not being continually reminded of their duty and compelled to perform it had grown lax and neglectful as they are apt to do under such circumstances The statement of Col Johnson that the camp was filthy and dirty is entirely incorrect and was made not upon a thorough examination but upon seeing / a pile of brush, old clothes &c which had been collected out of the swamp on the left of the camp a few days previous and which was to have been burned or carried away the first pleasant day

 

            When I returned from Massachusetts I found the camp in a bad condition and as soon as I assumed the command commenced the work of renovation because I felt that for the health of the men that must be the first work done To accomplish this I employed all the available men in the Reg't and had so far succeeded that we were complimented two days previous to the "inspection" by the Brigade Officer of the day on having the cleanest camp in the Brigade

 

            From what I have written you will perceive that in my opinion the Reg't was not in so good condition as when you relinquished the command; since that time we have had two badly conducted and demoralizing marches which have no doubt contributed to bring it in its present state; yet you can also see that in many respects the report is false and in others the faults are greatly exaggerated I have not a doubt when the Reg't is again inspected you will hear a much different / result As far as I am concerned you may rest assured that no efforts will be spared to keep the Reg't in which we are so much interested in so good a condition that we can still assert with pride that it is one of the most orderly best disciplined in the service

 

Yours Truly

Luther Stephenson Jr

Lt Col. 32^d Mass Vols

 

[endorsement]

 

32^d Mass

L Stephenson Jr. letter

L^t Colonel

to

F. J. Parker

About Col Johnsons inspection

Feby 28 1863. /

 

Extracts

Condition Enfield muskets    "indifferent"    true

Appendages  deficient          not true

Cartridge boxes    unserviceable  the same we have used for the last six months

Coats & trousers   dirty                true generally

underclothing     dirty                true generally

Military appearance   bad                  not true excepting as above

Discipline     bad                  true in many respects

System of military instruction loose                true

Officers & men acquainted with

     Manual of Arms   indifferently    not true

            Squad drill    do        not true

            Company drill  do        not true

            Battalion Drill ignorant           false

            Guard duty  do           "

Officers and men generally perform duty      "loosely"         true to some extent

Guard instructed   not well           not true

Commanding officers informed relative

            to the condition of their command     ignorant of      not true

Regimental & company books & Records     generally complete

Morning reports made    regularly

Company Officers, QrMasters, Commanders

            &c account for public property          regularly

Do provision returns agree with morning reports      "they do"

Orders duly received promptly published

Recitations in army regulations  "have not had"             false

Articles of War read   "never"                        false

Wants of the Command reasonably

anticipated  "They are not"             false

 

[side margin]

 

Officers      "inefficient"    not true excepting in three cases

Orders enforced          "not well"        true to a certain extent /

 

[endorsement]

 

32^d Mass.

Extract from Col Johnsons

inspection report, and L^t Co^l

Stephensons remarks upon

it

SOURCES